Love is Strange
by BLACKROSE MAGIK
Summary: Bella is M's niece and Twilight never happened. Takes place during Skyfall. Will include hints of Justice League, X-Men, Halloween Town, and Night World.
1. Wakeing up with a bang

Hey guys, this is my first story so there are some things I'd like to explain. Bella is the daughter of Lois Lane and Clark Kent. Lois is a Cromwell witch and so are most of her and Clark's kids. Bella is number three of ten kids and she has three brothers and six sisters. If you want more of the back story then send me a review asking for it and I will send it to you in a PM.

Chapter 1 Waking up with a bang

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! _**BANG!**

Isabella Cromwell groaned in to her pillow and pushed herself up out of bed. Sighing, she walked down the hall and in to the kitchen and started a pot of Irish

coffee. Then she went back up the hall and poked her head in the bedroom door on the left next to her own, and sure enough there right smack in the middle of the wall across from the bed was a giant scorch mark, and beneath that was her youngest sister's alarm clock mangled and smoking on the floor.

"Well Catherine there go's the fifth one."

Cathy turned her back toward the door. "Leave me alone."

Isa rolled her eyes but continued, "I'll go wake up Serenity. I've already started the coffee so be dressed and on the porch in five minutes if you want any."

Cathy rolled back over to face Isabella. "Hey Isa?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you heard back from aunt Peggy about the possibility of you taking the tests for MI6 again?"

"No, but she said she'd let me know by Monday so I've got three more days. And quit stalling."

Smiling, she turned to walk down the hall to her daughter's room, and was surprised to hear a light, gentle voice call from the living room, "I'm in here Mommy."

Isabella went and sat down next to her daughter, and watched as she sent spirals of color down her arm, through her finger tips on to the drawing pad in front of her on the coffee table. When the picture was finished Serenity handed her the drawing and said calmly, "One week."

Isabella felt the blood leave her face and she turned to watch as Serenity picked up the TV remote and flipped through the channels untill she found the BBC morning news...


	2. Phone Calls

**Chapter 2 Phone calls **

Isa's P.O.V.

RING... RING... RING... "Hello." _(Wait, how did I get in the kitchen? WHEN did I get in the kitchen?) _

"Isa? Sweetie is that you? What's wrong?"

"Good morning to you too Mother. Yes it's me and why is it that every time I answer the phone you assume something's wrong?" _(Why is she calling? Did she see the explosion at MI6 on the news too or is she just checking in? And how does she always know if something's wrong?)_

"It's my mother's intuition. Besides you're a danger magnet just like me. Now are you going to tell me what's wrong or do I need to start guessing?"

"Serenity's had a vision, actually I think she's had two but I'm not sure. Look have you seen the BBC news this morning?"

"Nooo...?"

"Well, go look."

Three minutes later...

"Have you called your Aunt Peggy?"

"No."

"Has _she_ called _you?_"

"No."

"Well your Uncle Bruce called and told me that him and your Aunt Diana would like for Cathy to stay with them for the summer, so I will call him and see how soon they're willing to take her. In the meantime you had better book a flight for you and Serenity to London and start packing. Love you, talk to you later."

"Mom wait..."

CLICK

I was about to put down the phone when it started to ring again._ (If this is mom again I'm going to scream.) _

"Hello?"

"Hello Isabella."

"_**Aunt Peggy!**_ I saw the explosion on the news I'm so glad you're all right. You are all right aren't you?"

"Yes Dear I'm fine; I wasn't in the building when it happened. I've booked you and Serenity a flight to London at 5:15 this evening, will that work for you?"

"Um, sure that'll work fine. Does this mean I qualified to take the MI6 Active Duty tests?"

"Yes. You'll be able to pick up your tickets at the airport under your current alias. Tanner will pick you up when you arrive."


	3. Going Home

Chapter 3 Going Home

Isa's P.O.V.

"WHAT!"

"You heard me, _you_ are going to Gotham to spend the summer with Aunt Diana and Uncle Bruce and _I_ am going to take Serenity and go back to England."

_"But why Izzy?"_

Groaning, I look heavenward.

"I knew it was a bad idea to tell you before you had your coffee, but would Renée listen to me? No. Of course she doesn't. Then again she never does. And don't call me Izzy."

Sighing, I look at my tearful, red-headed sister sitting across the kitchen table from me. I slide the drawing Serenity had given to me across to Cathy. As I do so I tell her,

"Serenity drew that this morning."

"What… Well I mean I can see what's happening, the people are clearly being executed, but who are they?"

I lean over the table top and look at the drawing again. Its format is like that of a comic book page; each person in the picture has their own designated block of space, and there are five people, so five blocks in all. And the people in the drawing don't look like your average comic book characters either, instead of looking grainy and blocky each person looks likes they were photographed with a high-powered camera by a professional photographer. I point at the third and fifth blocks and tell Cathy,

"I don't know who the others are but these two were in the same training group as me at MI6."

"So what does all this _mean_?"

"I think it means that someone is about to blow the covers of five double-oh agents. Or they already have and these agents are being tortured, after all Serenity did say we had a week before this (I gesture to the drawing.) comes to pass. However I think Aunt Peggy would have told me about it if she thought that the latter scenario had already come to pass."

"Okay, well, when am I supposed to be leaving?"

"I don't know, Mom didn't say. I guess you'll just have to wait for her to call and let you know."

"When's your flight?"

I look up at the kitchen clock.

"Five fifteen."

Cathy follows my gaze.

"Wow it's nearly eleven thirty already, you need to start packing. How about this, you go start packing and I'll keep Serenity entertained until two 'o clock and then we can break for lunch? That way you'll have plenty of time to pack, eat, get to the airport, and through airport security."

Looking at my little sister in this moment I can't help but think that she is the most wonderful thing I've ever seen next to my little girl.

"Thank you so much. This will be a really big help. You are the best little sis…"

"I know, I know, the best little sister ever. Why don't you go start packing."

"Fine. I'll see you at lunch."

And I walk out of the kitchen. As I go down the hall to my room the only thing I can think is,

_'I'm going home.'_


	4. Chapter 4 Plane Ride

**Chapter 4: Plane Ride**

Isa's P.O.V.

Sitting in a crowded, noisy airport with a freshly rested, hyper, two-year old girl is a waking nightmare. Not that Serenity is trying to be difficult but she took a nap on the way here and she didn't wake up until after we were already all the way through security, and since then all we've done is sit for an hour. Now if I'd been by myself I would've just read a book 'till it was time to board, but like I said **HYPER, TWO-YEAR OLD**. I look at my watch, only five more minutes until we board.

_'Thank you Isis.'_

"Hey, Serenity why don't we go ahead and put up your dolly? It's almost time to get on the plane."

"Okay Mommy."

"Serenity when we get to England I need you to call me Mummy instead of Mommy. Actually it's probably better if you start now. Can you do that for me?"

_'Please say yes.'_

"Sure Mummy."

"Oh goodness, now you sound like your Aunt Grace."

_'Note to self: be careful what you wish for.'_

"Aunt Grace is the one with the black hair, Aunt Cathy's tri-sister right?"

"Yes, that's right. And she has one blue eye and one violet eye."

**"Flight number seventeen is now ready for boarding; I repeat flight number seventeen is now ready for boarding." **

"Well sweetheart, this is our flight, come on; we need to go get in line."

I swiftly bend down and scoop Serenity up in my left arm and swing our carry on duffel over my right shoulder. As I walk towards the line I whisper in her ear,

"I need you to smile and look shy; do you think you can do that for me?"

"Yes Mummy."

"Good girl." I murmured in the clipped, upper-class, British accent I had been raised with. As we stand in line I listen to the couple and their little boy that are standing behind us.

"Mama, that little girl, (I can practically feel his finger pointing at Serenity's head lying on my shoulder) is pretty."

Serenity glances up at him from under my hair and waves.

"Son get behind me, that little girl is a monster, an abomination, a...a...a…"

"A _mutant_ Jessica, really, I just don't understand what your problem is. They are people just as much as you and I, and as such they deserve just as much respect. And you're right Johnny; she is a pretty little girl."

I turn around before the mother can respond and flash the father a wide smile and a quick, "Thank you" before stepping up to the woman at the desk and handing her our passports and tickets.

"Alright, everything seems to be in order here. Thank you for flying with us today; it's always a pleasure to have a member of the British Service aboard."

_'Hemm, I wonder how she knows? It's not on my passport. M must have rang ahead.'_

"Thank you."

The plane's a double decker and since we have first class tickets we have a small, private cabin on the top deck. As soon as we sit down I give Serenity her notepad and doll. Then I say,

"Play quietly while I read this file from Aunt Peggy and then when I'm done I'll get you something off the snack cart."

"Okay mama."

Right before we left Renée's house M faxed over the account of the bombing and all the details leading up to it. After reading the file I lean back and sigh, even I know that the list of possible suspects is incredibly limited.

_'Alright let's see, who has the brains, the skills, the inclination, and the motive to hack into MI6? Me, Jennet, Uncle Bruce, Kitty Pryde, Remy LeBeau, Mystique, Pyro, Tony Stark, James Bond/007, whoever the current Q is, and of course Tiago Rodriguez. The problem with most of this list is that over half of them don't have a motive for this kind of job. This looks like a sadistic game, which cuts out me, Jennet, Uncle Bruce, Pryde, LeBeau, and Stark.'_ Just as I'm about to continue down my list the door slides open and a flight attendant pokes her head in.

"Would ya'll like anything from the snack cart?"

I look at Serenity whose nodding franticly and then as I tuck the file into the front of my jacket I turn back to the attendant.

"Sure. What've you got?"

"We have Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, fruit punch, apple juice, lemonade, coffee, iced tea, bottled water, Bud Light, chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies, peanut butter cookies, brownies, mm's, peanuts, trail mix, and Mini Oreos."

"Serenity do you want to pick something out or do you want me to do it for you?"

"You can pick."

"Okay, we'll have one lemonade, one bottled water, and one oatmeal raisin cookie."

"Alright let me just grab them from the cart."

"Here let me help you."

"Thanks."

I hand Serenity her lemonade and cookie and take the water bottle the girl hands me. Right before I can start to turn back around the attendant says,

"Miss? The pilot would like you to come down to the cabin if you can spare a minute."

"Right now?"

"If it's not too much trouble."

I glance over my shoulder at Serenity. She takes a large bite out of her cookie and waves me off with one hand, a clear dismissal. _'Not even three yet and she already acts like she's sixteen.'_ I turn back to the girl and she gives in to a small giggle, clearly she was watching Serenity as well. I roll my eyes.

"It's no trouble at all, lead the way."

After she puts away the cart, the attendant leads me to the cabin and opens the door. As I step inside the cabin my eyes zero in on the back of the co-pilot's head.

"_Eve_?"

"Hey girl, how are you?"

"In shock for the most part, what are you doing here? I thought you were doing field work."

"I was, until I shot Bond off the top of a moving train."

"Sweet Isis above. Is he still alive?"

"M wrote his obituary."

"Did they ever find his body?"

"Well no..."

"Then it doesn't mean anything, he could still be playing a part in this damned game."

"Bloody hell, do you think so?"

As we've been speaking I've sat down, now I lean back and cock my head to side so that it's tilted in the direction of the pilot and ask,

"Just how much do you know?"

Eve instantly catches on to my double meaning.

"Isa don't worry. He's one of us, besides this conversation is strictly confidential, it will never leave this room."

"And the headsets?"

"We turned them off as soon as we could."

I nod my head slowly.

"Alright then. Can you speak Gaelic?"

"Only a little, but I can read it."

I pull out the file and hand it to her.

"Here, read it, just so I know we're on the same page, and then I'll fill you in on my theory so far."

10 minutes later

"Well, there is very little in here that I didn't already know, but I suppose I understand better now why you called this a game."

"Have there been any changes in key personnel since I left, aside from Bond that is?"

"Well we lost six agents in the bombing, but other than that the only change is that we have a new Q."

"I thought that might be the case. What's this one like?"

"Well he's a kid for starters, probably no older than nineteen at most? And he's terrified of flying, which incidentally is why he's not here instead of me. He's also cocky, arrogant, and completely brilliant. And if you ever tell him I said that, I'll shoot you in your sleep."

"Ha! Scared of a teenager now are you? This doesn't bode well for your chances of getting back in the field now, does it?"

Eve glares at me.

"Shut up."

"Oh come on, I haven't seen you in two years, nearly three, and you're going to deny me teasing rights? Eve, that's just cruel."

All she does in response is raise one perfectly manicured eyebrow. I sigh.

"Fine. Look the reason I asked about Q is... well, do you think his loyalty could lie elsewhere?"

Eve looks startled at this idea.

"No."

"Eve are you sure?"

"Isa, Q is so completely and utterly _British_ that, even though it may be possible, it is _highly_ improbable."

"Alright I'll take your word about him. And that takes one more off my list and leaves only four more, at least until I speak to Q in person."

"Four more on what list?"

"I've compiled a list of all possible suspects and have started to narrow it down by process of elimination."

"And you've got it down to _four_?"

"Yes. And as soon as we land I plan to make a phone call that will hopefully eliminate one, if not two more."

Eve is now staring at me with a look of utter disbelief.

"How were you able to come up with a list so quickly?"

"Easy, I personally know all but one, of the hackers who are capable of getting in to MI6's data base."

"And just how many are there?"

"Including me? Eleven."

"So few?"

"Yes. It does make things quite a bit easier though."

"Yes I suppose it does, at that. So who are the last four?"

Just then the pilot speaks up for the first time.

"Hey we're just about to enter British airspace, so we're going to have to turn the headsets back on."

"Okay. I'll see you later then Eve, maybe we can meet up and go to lunch together after I and my daughter get settled in."

"_That_ sounds lovely. Wait for me after you get off and we can go down to the luggage carousel together."

"Alright I'll see you then."

And with that I walk back to my cabin.

To Be Continued

A/N: Well firstly I would like to thank all of the wonderful readers, who decided to favourite/follow and/or review this story, ya'll have been so encouraging and I know that I would not have gotten this far with each and every one of you. That being said, this is the first story I have written that has lived to see its third chapter and it's the only one to ever reach the site, so it's fairly safe to say I'm new at all this and would defiantly appreciate some constructive criticism, no flaming mind you, but honest feedback is always welcome. Also if you have questions about the plot line or the characters, please feel free to ask me about them in a review or a PM. I don't know when I'll have the fifth chapter up because as soon as I finish writing a chapter I post it. Also this story's rating will never go up to M, if you're waiting for smut you can go wait elsewhere. I hope ya'll enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it. Until next time,

R&R

Black Rose Magik :)


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